Moldovan Official Journal's roundup for 29 July

Chisinau, 28 July /MOLDPRES/ - The law on amendment and completion of the Electoral Code will be published in the 29 July issue of the Official Journal (Monitorul Oficial).

The draft law was developed following a ruling by the Constitutional Court from 4 March, providing for the return to the direct election of the Moldovan president.  

The principal amendments were made to the provisions on the term of setting up the electoral constituencies and polling stations, establishing the date of elections, special conditions for the subscription lists for candidates’ registration, special stipulations on the holding of the runoff, confirming the polls and procedure of suspending or dismissing the president from office by referendum.   

Under the document, “Moldova’s president will be elected by universal, equal, direct, secret and freely expressed vote for a four-year mandate. The process of putting up candidates will start 60 days before the election day and will end 30 days ahead of the polls,” the document reads.  

The candidate must be not young that 40, he/she should have lived in Moldova for not less than ten years and must know the state language. “To be able to be registered in the electoral campaign, all candidates for the office of president will have to collect 15,000 signatures from at least a half of the country’s districts, and the electoral campaign will start not earlier than 30 days before the polls,” the draft reads.   

At the same time, the second-level electoral constituencies and electoral councils will be set up by 55 and, respectively, 50 days ahead of the polls.

The presidential elections will take place on 30 October 2016.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor A. Raileanu)